The need to communicate complex technical concepts can sometimes be perceived as an obstacle to creativity in B2B marketing. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Playing with a blend of different content types can go a long way to spicing up B2B campaigns, especially when it comes to technical subjects.
One of the most effective ways to keep your audience engaged while getting complex messages across is videos. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 71% of B2B marketers used videos in 2020, and this figure is projected to grow.
However, to achieve the intended purpose, videos must be part of a cohesive strategy – a generic video about your products and services. Lacking a clear message and call to action, won’t cut the mustard. So how can you create videos that accompany your potential customers at all stages of their purchasing journey? Here are some ideas.
Spur awareness
The first stage of the sales funnel is typically based on connecting with people and creating brand awareness. At this stage, videos can play a crucial role in engaging visitors and making sure they return to your website for more content. This is because videos, compared to other forms of content, have a high information retention rate. This means viewers are more likely to receive and remember information from a video than from texts or static images.
You have several options at this stage. Educational videos that offer practical advice or dissect a complex topic can be a great start. By delivering real value to potential customers from the beginning of their purchasing journey, you position your brand as a helpful and reliable source of information. This type of content can also help establish one or more members of your team as thought-leaders in their sector, building trust between them and the audience.
Another good option at this stage is to share your brand’s story, including challenges and mistakes. Since you are talking to other companies, sharing your journey and the lessons you’ve learned along the way can make your brand relatable by leveraging the human-interest story behind the product or service you are trying to sell.
Check out this example by HubSpot. Brian Halligan, the company’s CEO, reminisces on the early days of founding the marketing software giant with co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah. He talks about their ground-breaking vision for a new era of marketing, but doesn’t shy away from the challenges they encountered, or the fact they were inexperienced at the time. The result? A relatable, inspirational story.
Support decision-making
In the middle of the funnel, you should help viewers decide whether the product or service you offer is right for them – and how it compares with the competition. Highlight your unique value proposition and communicate to viewers that you understand their pain points, and can help solve them.
With this in mind, explainer videos can help showcase how a product or service is used in real-world applications, especially when its complexity is such that texts or static images might not be enough to convince potential buyers.
Video case studies are also a great way to explain how your product was deployed in real-life situations. They can provide several examples of challenges that have been successfully overcome by using your product, and viewers who find themselves in a similar situation could easily relate. Extra bonus – the client featured in the video can get extra visibility for free. What’s not to like?
Finally, video testimonials are also useful to help document the experience of working with you and your team. This is especially important for services that require collaboration, such as integration services for industrial automation. In this case, a testimonial by someone who had a smooth, hassle-free experience can help prospective clients make up their mind.
Seal the deal
Answering potential questions about your product’s implementation, or specific additional features, can be the last necessary step to closing a sale
Instructional videos are ideal for alleviating concerns about committing to a specific product or service, and can help customers understand how to make the most of their intended purchase. Instructional content needs to be more in depth than an explainer video: it needs to be practical and to the point so customers can understand how to use the product in the easiest possible way.
This kind of content makes people comfortable about buying a product that already feels familiar. This is also where you can promote aftersale support and customer service, reassuring people that additional help will be available if they have any concerns.
Build loyalty
Re-engaging existing customers is a great way of ensuring the continuous success of your sales strategy. You are constantly optimising your offering with new features and services, so make sure your customers know about it. Continue to add value by creating videos that explain how to make the most of their purchase, such as troubleshooting common problems or exploring a specific feature.
Don’t forget that the content you created at the beginning can be repurposed at this stage, too – an inspirational story about the company’s CEO, or about the lightbulb moment that spurred your product’s design, can turn a customer into a lifelong fan.
Videos can be a versatile way of making B2B campaigns stand out and engaging your customers at all stages of the sales funnel. Of course, creating them can also be intimidating. So, how can you ensure that your lighting is right, your script is engaging, and that you don’t sound like a robot? Don’t worry!
Choosing an integrated marketing agency like The Marketing Pod means you can rely on a host of creative professionals to guide you at every stage, from drafting the perfect script to ensuring your video sits at the right stage of the funnel. Get in touch with the team to find out how our centres of excellence can work in tandem to ensure your success.
